Floods in Nepal-Tibet disrupt pilgrimage to Mount Kailash, a sacred mountain with centuries of evolving tradition

Devastating flash floods along Nepal's Trishuli River on August 26th destroyed the Gyirong border crossing, the route most commonly used by pilgrims traveling from Nepal into Tibet to reach Mount Kailash. The Conversation reports that hundreds of pilgrims headed to the sacred peak were affected. Kailash is revered by Hindus as the dwelling place of Shiva, by Tibetan Buddhists as the abode of the deity Demchok, and by Jains as the site of their first spiritual teacher's liberation, and pilgrims circle its roughly thirty-three-mile base rather than climbing it. Gyirong became the dominant route only after a 2015 earthquake damaged the main alternative, and this year's pilgrimage traffic had already been running well above China's permit quota.

Listen to this story

Hear this and more stories in a personalized audio briefing.

Open The Chonkerton